There You'll Be
by Leriani
Summary: One student at Xavier's school is too tunneled vision and depressed to notice who's around her, yet it all seems too normal as things fall into place on Xavier's birthday. Not chronologically correct w/ the characters, and can't be too sure w/ the ratings


Disclaimer: I do not own the lyrics used in this or the X-men characters mentioned/used in this story. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

The song playing seemed to be almost too perfect, although she disliked Ricky Martin and Christina Aguilera. She had her head down on the table on top of her arms. "Sppt, Arika, you feeling okay?" Warren nudged her elbow. "Yeah. I'll make sure to throw up on you deal?" Came Arika's barely audible answer. "You don't look like it. Come on, it's the professor's birthday." Warren said. "I know it is." Arika mumbled back, paying attention to the song on the speakers above head in the little restaurant they'd stopped for a quick lunch before heading to the big ball. 'I swear this is the most depressing song I've ever heard...at least it makes me depressed.' Arika thought. "Arika, you're lying. The Arika I know never hangs her head and does stuff like this." Warren said. Arika could just picture the big joking smile on his face. 

_Why? Why? Why? There you are in a darkened room And you're all alone. Looking out the window. Your heart is cold and lost the will to love, Like a broken arrow._

"Well the Arika you know has had too much of life. She's on vacation." She said bitterly. "Arika, sit up first." Warren put both of his hands on her shoulders and attempted to make her sit up. "No." Arika shrugged him off. "That's it!" She nearly hit the table exasperated. "I'll catch up with you guys later okay? I promise I'll be there, I wouldn't miss it for anything." Arika had been sitting in the outside part of the booth and slid out. "You sure?" Ilsa asked looking up from the napkin she was toying with in her lap, it was starting to take on the uncanny form a swan. "Yes, I wouldn't miss it for anything. I've the beautiful dress and all make-uped so why not?" Arika walked out and kept walking down the street until she found a place all alone and her wings instantly shot out. She winced in pain. Ever since a few weeks ago when she'd been shot at by some person on the ground, the bullet had ricocheted off the side of the rocks and then grazed her arm causing a painful scrape, she hadn't been flying and had forgotten the slicing pain. But the engineered regenerative skin that had replaced the two sides of her back always grew back and there was never any blood. She knew there'd be two very miniscule slits in the back of the dress that no one would see at all. She took off and went soaring towards the sky headed for the cliff, which was twenty miles away. She changed course at the last minute and landed on the warm slanted top of the greenish roof of a church and her wings retracted. She lay there staring up at the sky. 'It's so good to finally get away from life.' She thought. But the song that'd caught her attention kept playing over and over in her mind. 'Why is it that there's probably some guy out there looking for girl like me...and I'm looking for a guy like him. But fate has to put him probably billions of miles away that we'll never really meet and die lonely...'She was lost in contemplating awful things and how she was the only girl she knew that didn't have a boy friend. 'No one loves me...no body loves me. Guess I'll go eat some worms...'She thought. 

_Here I stand in the shadows. Come to me Come to me Can't you see that No body wants to be lonely No body wants to cry My body's longing to hold you, So bad it hurts inside_

"Arika, I thought I'd find you here." Warren landed next to Arika; she was stretched out on the slanted roof with her feet on one of the bars in the roof to keep from sliding down. When she didn't respond he took a closer look at her. She'd fallen asleep in the warm sun. Any emotions she carried with her, the burdensome thoughts of millions that made her think too much, the hate, the anger, pain, and sadness that she hid well with a facade of silliness and easy going had all left her face. All that was left was beauty...something she highly doubted she had. Warren was shocked that he'd thought of that. 'Well it makes sense, she's always keeping you her friend...but now she can't and...wow.' Warren knew it wasn't Arika messing around playing a joke. She couldn't mimic the way other people thought, her voice just talked in their heads. He sat there off to the side just watching over her for a while. The way he saw Arika totally changed. 

_Time is precious and it's slipping away And I've been waiting for you all of my life_

Arika woke up and saw a shadow over her face. Gasping she sat up and looked around. She turned her head to the side and saw Warren. "I fell asleep." Arika leaned forward to look over the edge. "And I could have fallen off." She said staring down at the dizzy height. A pigeon flew out of a hole in the roof almost crashing into her head and she did fall forward. "Arika!" Warren dived after her. Arika screamed in surprise. In her mind she fumbled for the switch but it was gone, just when she needed it the most. Then two arms wrapped around her chest and her fall was stopped and she was lifted back up to the roof. The second she touched the roof she turned around and hugged Warren. "I don't know what happened." She said hearing her voice crack, and then she was almost crying. 'Uhmm Arika you've gotten beaten up more before...why cry over this? My powers were gone...'She answered herself. "I couldn't use my powers." Her voice was a terrified whisper. "Shhh, no. I was here. Don't think about it. You couldn't have." Warren said returning the hug a little scared. Arika held on to him for a few more seconds then stepped to the side and tried to make her wings come out, they did. "Strange...when I fell I couldn't find the switch, but when I do the diving and everything else it's there." Arika said, Warren being the only one she'd explain to on how she made her wings come out. "Just the shock about the bird? Let's go, everyone's already headed for the ball room." Warren said smiling. "Yeah sure." Arika said walking to the edge and plotting out the best way to get there without being seen. "You going to be okay?" Warren had put his hand on her elbow without even thinking. "Of course. I'm the leader. Let's go." Arika jumped and as if landing on a net she was suspended in the air and started zooming towards the ballroom they'd rented at some hotel especially for the occasion. She weaved a path around and through some parts of the park she liked visiting when no one else was around. Warren followed closely behind Arika, but she'd perfected in keeping her body parallel to her wings and very straight without having to stick her hands out in front of her like a swimmer, she was fast. Warren could maneuver through the trees and was soon right above her...she'd started to learn how low to the ground she could fly, since she could fly faster than she could run. Arika laughed and darted up quickly cutting him off. 

_No body wants to be lonely So why Why don't you let me love you?_

Arika and Warren both walked into the hall not being noticed by the other students; graduated, x-men, and new ones were too busy dancing. Arika saw that there were a lot of very noticeable mutants in the room. One woman that stood out had strange yet beautiful iridescent skin that changed colors. Arika didn't dare let out her wings because of their razor sharpness, but she longed to show off her ten feet wingspan of the brightest reflective metal. Warren headed over to more of his friends that he was closer to. Arika drifted around until someone tapped her on the shoulder she looked one way and then another, not seeing anyone. Then a hand was on the side of her face to make her hold still. In an amused way she was told. "You've done the cutest job so far looking for whoever tapped you on the shoulder." Arika instantly analyzed his mind. Seeing that the last time he'd seen himself he had brown hair and green eyes and wasn't all that bad looking her opinion. "Ah. I see you..." 'Now' Arika finished the sentence mentally. "A telepath." He said with a hint of awe. 'A cute one too.' "I heard that." Arika smiled feeling her cheeks turn red. 'This guy is funny!' She thought to herself excitedly. "You want to dance?" He might have bowed to her, he might not, but Arika got the feeling he might have. Arika felt an arm go around her waist and on her shoulder. "Gladly." Arika noticed it was a semi slow dance and started dancing with him. 

Ilsa stumbled by comically gliding around with Remy mocking some of the older adults who were dancing all formally. "Whoa! Rieky...you dancin' by yer self? Chere, tres fou." Remy said in French. "I'm not crazy, I am dancing with someone. The invisible man." Arika said with an amused smile. "Non! Tu parles francais?" Remy asked quickly. Arika barely caught his quetsion. "Oui....un peau." She said shrugging as her invisible partner spun her around. "I took French class once too. But I really didn't like it that much." The invisible man said. Remy and Ilsa both jumped in surprise. " Cool!" Isla gawked in surprise. "Come on, let's go Remy!" She grabbed him by the hand they both started swirling around. Arika swirled back to be in his arms. "This is so bizarre." Arika couldn't resist commenting as she spun back around to untangle her arms and to face him again. "Yes, but it's something new. You're one of Xavier's current students?" He asked. "Yup." Arika nodded as the song changed to a tango. How to dance to the song flew to her mind. 'Wow, whatever the government was planning on using me for, I sure would have known how to act at formal assemblies and dance! Walking talking etiquette encarta right here ladies and gentlemen.' She thought to herself surprise. "Ah, you know this too?" He said surprised. "Oh yeah. Come on." Arika said twisting around more confident of her knowledge. Some of the people from the school that knew her, including Oz, had cleared to the side to watch amazed as Arika danced with herself. Then someone started laughing and soon everyone caught on to whom she was dancing with. "Way to go Rieky!" Oz laughed in appreciation. 'Wow, I never knew Arika could dance that way.' Arika smiled to herself hearing Warren's thoughts, for some reason she had always enjoyed listening in on his thoughts. 

_Why? Why? Why?_

Warren wondered what that funny feeling he had when he noticed Arika dancing with her invisible partner. 'Jealousy.' He told himself. 'But why? She's just a friend. Sides she's a sophomore.' He thought. 'And you're a junior...big deal.' The other half of his conscience snapped back. "Hey Warren. You want to dance?" Kitty purred, appearing out of nowhere. "Sure." Warren shrugged not knowing what to do, and not caring. Kitty's eyes nearly bulged out in surprise. 'YES! He's never played attention to me before! He's rich...and he's cute! OH YES!' Kitty thought to herself. Warren went out on the dance floor and was dancing with Kitty, but kept looking over her shoulder for some reason. Arika was laughing and would have been looking right at him but was instead talking and dancing in front of the invisible man. "You're not that bad kid." He said. "Err yeah well..."Arika shrugged grinning, fully embarrassed and enjoying the attention. "No wonder Xavier has you as a leader." There was an affirmation about her in his voice. "I'm...just...actually to tell the truth I'm just like the human barrier for my little team. I lead them into battle...I fight and get severely injured. They get through and get whatever they need, rescue me at the last moment and I'm blacked out until three a.m. If I'm lucky I get to be on the verge of death for ten minutes and no school the next day." Arika said modestly. "That's what makes you a good leader, you put your team first and you wouldn't run out on them to save your self. You'll be someone great kid." The invisible man ruffled Arika's hair in a brotherly manner. Arika still grinned. "Yes. Well I've got to go find my friend. See ya'!" She said. "No you won't." He laughed. "You know what I mean." Arika said shaking her head and laughing. She soon found Ilsa fighting to get off her shoes. "Stupid things..."Ilsa hissed finally throwing them off. "Geeze..."Arika looked at how small the shoe was compared to her friend's foot. "I know. I cannot dance any more. Go and bother Remington for me, yes?" Ilsa asked sitting back. "I don't know." Arika said doubtfully. "His mother made him take ballet lessons when he was little." Ilsa hinted. "Okay! That's good enough. I'll see what I can do." Arika stood up and soon found Remy at one end of the room trying to escape from Jubilation's flirting with him. Arika darted over. Rogue was laughing hysterically. "Remy! Ilsa told me the most nicest news about your child hood." Arika said. "I dance wit' you if ya' don't say a word." Remy bribed. Arika felt persuaded to say yes and she did knowing it was his own doing. 

_Can you hear my voice, Do you hear my song? It's a serenade So your heart can find me And suddenly you're Flying down the stairs Into my arms, baby_

Her and Remy started waltzing around in a silly way. Laughing, Arika accidentally stumbled on the hem of her dress and she bumped into Kitty. "Watch it you nerd!" Kitty hissed hotly. "Righto ugly!" Arika chirped back laughing even harder as Remy attempted to spin her around. Arika spun around herself, her dress poofing up around her. "Hey cool!" She laughed looking down and twirling faster. Finally she came to a stop and staggered a bit. "Help me I can't stand up straight. My knight in shining armor!" Arika said falling into Remy's arm exaggeratedly. He grinned. He knew what Arika was joking about. She'd once let everyone hear what Kitty was thinking whenever she imagined dating Bobby. Arika laughed and stood up, Kitty was glaring at her. "Looser." Kitty snorted and rolled her eyes. "Yeah whatever, toodles, cheerio an' all that stuff. Later Warren!" Arika said waving only her fingers and turned to Remy. "Come on, let's get over to the Professor, I haven't seen him at all today!" Arika said. "Dis is jus' like one very big party gone bad, an' I love it." Remy said putting an arm around her waist. Arika leaned against him comfortably. Professor Xavier had been watching all of what he considered his surrogate children. With a tinge of jealousy, they were all dancing...and here he was getting older and sitting in a wheel chair. "Hi Professor Xavier. Happy Birthday!" Arika said coming up to him. Having lost Remy to Jubilation on the way over she decided to still go and see him. Professor Xavier smiled. "I see you were having fun." "Yeah...oh that!" Arika saw that he meant her dancing with the Invisible man. "It was exciting." She laughed. "A new experience everyday." She looked at the crowd; Jean was dancing with Scott while their drinks were floating right next to them so nobody had to hold them for them. "I just got the best birthday gift for you!" Arika said her eyes going wide. "Oh no. I've already received too many gifts from everyone." Professor Xavier shook his head wondering what Arika could have possibly wanted to give him. "No, no, no. It's not like that. One out of a million kind of gift that you can only use once." Arika said distractedly her eyes dancing with excitement. Professor Xavier smiled. '...and of course Arika. She doesn't have any family and is probably one of the my closest students.' He thought to himself. "Professor Xavier! You're never going to forget me for this! I'm telling you this'll top everything!" Arika said. "I promise!" She turned to face him. "I can't wait, and by the way you can call me Charles." "No way." Arika wrinkled her nose in a childish way. "I've got to go and see if Jean will agree with me...be back in a sec." Arika dashed off. 

_Before I start going crazy Run to me, run to me Cause I'm dying Nobody wants to be lonely No body wants to cry_

'Cutting in Jean.' Arika saw the glasses waver a little bit and caught them. 'Jean, you know everyone in the room that has telekinesis abillity?' Arika asked. 'Strange question to ask, why do you have to save the world...again?' Jean asked jokingly. 'Just do you?' Arika repeated mentally. 'Yes I do. There are quiet a few.' 'Great! Get 'em all over here! I've got the best plan and I'm not telling it to anyone until they all get over here to the table I'm at. Over here.' Arika smiled handing Jean and Scott their drinks. The song finished and Jean rounded up a rather large group. "Okay, "Arika leaned forward and everyone leaned towards her an air of secrecy. But she was doing it just to put up a wall around them so Professor Xavier wouldn't be able to hear. "We're going to let the Professor walk. You know what I mean?" Arika asked. "Yeah!" One girl nearby saw what Arika meant. "That'd work! We can do that!" She clapped her hands. "How nice!" Everyone agreed. "Now who's going to dance with him though?" Arika asked. "Huh?" Jean looked at Arika puzzled. "Oh come on! You don't expect a normal human to just be sitting there unable to use his legs all night on his birthday while everyone else he knows is dancing and not get a little jealous." Arika said. "Alright...who should do it then?" The girl asked. "I say Jean, 'cause she was his first student." One guy suggested. "Yeah." Other nods of agreement confirmed it. "Okay! It's settled! Jean, come with me." Arika ran over to the microphone at the head of the hall with the table raised up. "Everyone! Everyone calm down! You all know why we're here. Most of us wouldn't be here if it weren't for one man. Professor Xavier! We all love you very much...and so we're giving this gift to you from all of us." Arika said putting it as simply as she could. Jean walked over to him. "Do you want to dance?" Jean asked smiling. "Jean." Professor Xavier said in a scolding way and gestured to the wheelchair. But then he stood up; he had full use of his legs. Arika smiled. "Happy birthday Professor." She climbed down and watched as everyone cleared the floor to watch him dancing. 

'Arika. I swear you come up with some very strange ideas sometimes, but they're good.' Jean thought. 'Nah, it was just the way I was raised...and all the things I've seen.' Arika thought back. 'Arika, thank you....you were right.' Professor Xavier thought to her. 

After that Arika went over to him and hugged him. "I know when I'm right... Charles." She said his name smiling. He sat back down and all of the telekinetic people that were keeping him moving were exhausted. "They had a lot to do with it." Arika told him. She was dead tiered from doing her little bit filling the cracks where she could. "Yes, I know." Arika probably imagined it, she reprimanded herself silently 'The Professor would never cry'. 

_My body's longing to hold you I'm longing to hold you so bad it hurts inside Time is precious and it's slipping away and I've been waiting for you all of my life Nobody wants to be lonely so why Why don't you let me love you_

Arika refused a ride back home, it was dark and soon everyone realized that there were too many people to fit in the cars. "Don't worry Jean. I can just fly. Like Storm and the rest that just left. Okay?" Arika said. "I don't know it's pretty dark and that person..."Jean motioned to the bandage hidden under Arika's long opera style gloves. "Don't worry it's dark, I'll just shoot lightning at the punk. I'll be safe." Arika soon persuaded Jean. "Alright, we'll see you back there. Hurry up, no messing around. I hate it when you fly alone in this city." Jean sighed. "What can I do that Warren, Storm or whoever else can't?" Arika challenged. "I'll be fine." She tried to sound reassuring. "Alright." Jean nodded and drove the car off. Arika waited in the shadows of the parking lot until all the people able of flying took off periodically at random spaces so no one would get suspicious. Arika's wings came out and she shivered wishing she had brought along her jacket. 'And so just like super girl I'll fly around down town in a skirt...er...in my case a dress. Flashing the whole world!' Arika thought and couldn't hold back a small laugh as she went up into the sky. She was glad that she'd worn shorts under the monster of a dress. She'd never flown around in the night sky before. The stars seemed even closer and the well-lit moon provided enough light but not too much. She hovered there right side up and twirled around. She flew around gracefully diving and spinning for the fun of it. 'This beats swimming.' Arika thought to herself as she rolled and rightened herself looking down at the city. Tiered from all the flying she landed at the top of the church and would have looked like a terrifying sight perched at the top in a gargoyle like stance waiting to pounce with her wings spread behind her shimmered in the light. Her eyes were sparkling with the blue electricity that became even more visible in the dark. Her long uneven bangs were hanging into her eyes and her hair was still in it's orderly combed way held into place by too much hair spray and gel so that not even a piece was out of place. She contemplated if anyone ever were to see her they might not believe it. Gazing at the sky once again she considered making a wish. A gust of wind made her snap back to attention. A bullet zipped past her again. Sliding into the flat part of the roof sheltered by the spires going up. She hunched down her wings still out. She heard another bullet ping off the roof. "Oh man." She hissed under her breath knowing this meant trouble. Shivering from the cold she huddled there terrified. It felt like hours she'd been trapped up there, risking it Arika climbed to the top and peeked over and around trying to feel out any human that might be keeping vigilance for her. '..there it is again!' Arika gasped hearing the man's thoughts and let go of her hold, tumbling back down onto the flat part of the roof. Laying there Arika heard the bullets ricochet then stop, staring at the sky she guessed she'd have to wait until morning or if someone came for her. Trying to fall asleep was the only option she had, other than staying awake and begrudging the fact that Jean had been right. "Arika! Are you alright?" Someone had grabbed her shoulder. Her eyes flying open Arika saw Warren's face close to hers. "Yes." Arika knew that her body temperature had just dropped a few more degrees and she fought to suppress the shivering. "Here take this. You're cold." Warren pulled off his dinner jacket and gave it to her. "Slits for wings and everything, neat." Arika joked pulling his jacket around her. "I thought you already reached the mansion." Arika said going to eye level at him. 

_I want to feel you deeply Just like the air you're breathing I need you here in my life Don't walk away, don't walk away don't walk away, don't walk away No, no, no, no_

"You weren't there so I went to look for you. Are you really alright?" Warren asked looking in her eyes. Arika hesitated, her lower lip trembling; his look was so intense she closed her own eyes for a second. 'Now or no one will ever hear.' "No." she whispered, her tears mixing with the raindrops falling on her face. "What happened?" Warren asked concerned looking her up and down. "I'm just sick and tiered of having all this bad luck. Some hillbilly sharp shooter's after me like I'm a squirrel or something, I'm getting beat up even worse every time we go out. It's like I'm dying in spirit." Arika confessed. "Don't say that Arika." Warren hugged her almost automatically. Arika hugged him back. "Let's get out of the rain first." Warren said to her. "I know the perfect place." He said taking off and waiting for her to follow at his side. It was in the forestry part of the mansion's back yard, there were so many trees that they stopped all the rain entirely. Arika shook her head to get most of the water out and her wings had repelled the water and gone back in. "I just have this incredibly big streak of bad luck hanging over me." She said looking down at the ground. "I'm bad luck to almost everyone. I'm no good, only for getting beat up and stalling the bad guys." Arika said, her tears falling on the smooth path. "No you're not bad luck, to me you aren't." Warren put his arms around her. "Yeah right...what about that one time with Ramanovska?" She asked looking up at him; no smile was on her face now. "It had to happen. I don't care. Arika," Warren hesitated then said it very fast. "PlusIlikeyouverymuch." Arika was shocked. "I...I.."Arika was unable to say anything. She looked up at him. His face was so close. She leaned closer into his kiss. 'Nothing lasts forever...' The words flashed into her mind. 'So enjoy it while it lasts.' She thought to herself not about to care in a million years. 

_Time is precious and it's slipping away and I've been waiting for you all of my life_


End file.
